A Peek at Phnom Penh
Phonm Penh was unlike any other capital city we had previously visited, as it felt stuck in the past. There was construction everywhere you looked, but signs from the fifties and sixties (like the one above) were still easy to spot, along with beautiful, crumbling old buildings (like the one below). The reason it felt this way, I'd guess, is the the Khmer Rouge's stronghold on the city for almost four years and their destruction of virtually all cultural and social institutions. We learned more about them and their devastating actions on our second day in Phnom Penh, when we toured the Prison Museum and Killing Fields, but I'll get to that in a minute. 
One of the only places in Phnom Penh that seems unaffected by the Khmer Rouge is the gorgeous golden palace. We spotted numerous monks both inside and outside the complex:
and were reminded of Thailand by the ornately roofed buildings. 
My favorite part of the palace was this 59 meter spire with faces of Bhrama, looking out over the grounds. 
We spent the next day sharing a tuk-tuk with two sweet girls from Vancouver, Canada, as we toured and learned about the most tragic parts of Cambodia's history. We started the day venturing out to the Killing Fields. Roughly 20,000 Cambodians were executed and buried here by the Khmer Rouge. We were able to freely roam around the large property, which was filled with reminders of the holocaust that took place there, such as the sign below, and large sunken areas, where mass graves had been. 
In the center of the Killing Fields there is an enormous memorial tower, filled with bones found on the property; the bright colored paper in the back of the photo is 1000 paper cranes, sent by a relief group in China.
We left the Killing Fields, to travel 15 km back into town and visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The site of the museum is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge. 
Each of the classrooms had been transformed into prison cells; it was harrowing to see. There were numerous photography and storytelling exhibits about the captors and the captives, which helped provide some framework for what we were walking through. 
After a very depressing morning, we were ready to explore the Russian market and reflect on what we had seen over a little lunch. 
This woman was easy to spot, as her booth was surrounded by Cambodians eagerly awaiting the delicious noodle concoctions she whipped up in her wok. We snagged the last two seats available and watched as she worked her magic. 
The end result: a delicious plate of pearl noodles with pork, fried egg, morning glory and bean sprouts. It was just what we needed. 
Our tuk tuk driver brought us back to our guesthouse, and on the way, we saw this adorable girl riding home with her mom. Check out those sandals! I'm keeping an eye peeled for them, although I doubt they'll look as natural on me as they do on her.
Phonm Penh was unlike any other capital city we had previously visited, as it felt stuck in the past. There was construction everywhere you looked, but signs from the fifties and sixties (like the one above) were still easy to spot, along with beautiful, crumbling old buildings (like the one below). The reason it felt this way, I'd guess, is the the Khmer Rouge's stronghold on the city for almost four years and their destruction of virtually all cultural and social institutions. We learned more about them and their devastating actions on our second day in Phnom Penh, when we toured the Prison Museum and Killing Fields, but I'll get to that in a minute. 
One of the only places in Phnom Penh that seems unaffected by the Khmer Rouge is the gorgeous golden palace. We spotted numerous monks both inside and outside the complex:
and were reminded of Thailand by the ornately roofed buildings. 
My favorite part of the palace was this 59 meter spire with faces of Bhrama, looking out over the grounds. 
We spent the next day sharing a tuk-tuk with two sweet girls from Vancouver, Canada, as we toured and learned about the most tragic parts of Cambodia's history. We started the day venturing out to the Killing Fields. Roughly 20,000 Cambodians were executed and buried here by the Khmer Rouge. We were able to freely roam around the large property, which was filled with reminders of the holocaust that took place there, such as the sign below, and large sunken areas, where mass graves had been. 
In the center of the Killing Fields there is an enormous memorial tower, filled with bones found on the property; the bright colored paper in the back of the photo is 1000 paper cranes, sent by a relief group in China.
We left the Killing Fields, to travel 15 km back into town and visit Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. The site of the museum is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge. 
Each of the classrooms had been transformed into prison cells; it was harrowing to see. There were numerous photography and storytelling exhibits about the captors and the captives, which helped provide some framework for what we were walking through. 
After a very depressing morning, we were ready to explore the Russian market and reflect on what we had seen over a little lunch. 
This woman was easy to spot, as her booth was surrounded by Cambodians eagerly awaiting the delicious noodle concoctions she whipped up in her wok. We snagged the last two seats available and watched as she worked her magic. 
The end result: a delicious plate of pearl noodles with pork, fried egg, morning glory and bean sprouts. It was just what we needed. 
Our tuk tuk driver brought us back to our guesthouse, and on the way, we saw this adorable girl riding home with her mom. Check out those sandals! I'm keeping an eye peeled for them, although I doubt they'll look as natural on me as they do on her.
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